Overseas Student Health Cover

An important requirement of your student visa is that you have adequate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) while you are studying in Australia. As a full-fee paying overseas student, your original tuition fees will have included an additional charge for visa length OSHC.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have OSHC coverage for the entire time you are in Australia. Make sure you don’t let it expire!

OSHC covers you for visits to the doctor, some hospital treatment, emergency ambulance cover, as well as limited cover for medicines. You can buy more insurance to cover these extras if you wish.

If the University has arranged OSHC on your behalf, you will be covered from the date you arrive in Australia. You can order your OSHC card online when you are in Australia. If you need to access medical services but have not yet received your OSHC card, you can print a temporary certificate from the Bupa OSHC website.

If you have arranged your OSHC with another insurance provider, you must contact your provider directly for information regarding your membership.

If you are in Australia and hold a Student Visa from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Italy or New Zealand, you are covered by Medicare. Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland are not covered by the agreements with those countries.

Note: With the exception of students from Belgium, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden it is a condition of your Student Visa that you purchase OSHC.

For general health information and referral to local health services contact Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222. This is a FREE 24-hour telephone health advice line. Calls are answered by Registered Nurses who can provide expert health advice about any health issue and what you can do next.

If you are an overseas Student and have finished your studies you can join the Bupa – University of South Australia Overseas Visitor plan. This applies if you are applying for a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485 or Visa 457) visit the Bupa website.